Automatic flat-iron.



A. S. OUBITT. AUTOMATIC FLAT IRON. APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1910.

1,006,727. I Patented Oct. 24, 191 1.

Witnesses: Inventor:

His ff'btorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD -S. CUBITT, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOB. T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC FLAT-IRON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Kay 7, 1910. Serial No. 559,878.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD S. CUBITI, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Pittsfield, county of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Flat-Irons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to controlling means for heating devices such as flat irons and the like, and has for its object the provision of means whereby the heating circuit of devices of this character may be opened and closed under specified conditions in a simple and efiicient manner.

' My invention relates more specifically to electrically heated fiat irons of the type in i which the current is automatically out off ,at the iron. In the use of electrically heated flat irons, itis not uncommon to employ an automatic arrangement in connection with the handle of the flat iron whereby the heating circuit is closed when the handle is grasped, and automatically opened when the handle is released. Mechanism of this kind has certain inherent disadvantages from the fact that it is not always desira le' that the current should be cut off and the iron therefore allowed to cool when the. handle is released. Another type of automatic switch which is not uncommonly used in flat irons is a thermostatic switch which automatically opens the heating circuit at a predetermined temperature, thereby preventing overheating to a dangerous degree. This type of switch also possesses certain disadvantages. For instance, if the 7 ion has been resting sufliciently long to open the circuit and, it is desired to use it again, the operator must wait until it cools off sufliciently so that the switch may be again closed, or the iron may be used for a short time so as to sufliciently cool it off for this purpose.

One of the objects of my invention is to combine the advantages of these two forms of switches in such a way as to eliminate the disadvantages of both. In carrying out my invention, therefore, I combine the thermostatic switch with the automatic handle so as to form a very desirable and convenient arrangement. By arranging the locking device so as to lock the automatic handle in closed circuit position and then providing a thermostatic device for controlling the locking device, I am enabled to take'care of any condition which may arise. The arrangement is such that when the operator releases the handle of the iron for a short period the current will remain on, but if the iron is left too long and a dangerous temperature is reached, the current will be out 01f by the thermostatic device. Just as soon, however, as the iron is grasped by the handle, the thermostatic device is rendered inoperative and so long as the iron is in the hands of the operator current will be on.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the course of the following specification in which I have shown my invention embodied in concrete form for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings embodying one form of my invention, Figure 1 represents a. perspective view of a .flat iron equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 represents a rear elevation of the same with the switch mechanism removed. 7

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents an ordinary electrically heated flat iron provided with a handle 11 and having an attaching plug 12 for making connections to a source of electric current in a wellknown manner.

The particular form of fiat iron employed and the specific electric heating means therefor form no art of my invention and may, of. course, varied without departing from my invention. In connection with the handle of-the flat iron I provide a lever 13 whichcontrols the heating circuit of the flat iron. This lever 13 is pivoted at 1 1 and so arranged that in grasping the iron the operator also grasps the lever 13 and forces it fromthe open circuit position shown full lines in Fig. .2

to the closed circuit position shown in dotted lines on the same figure. Connected with this lever 13 is an operating mechanism for opening and closing the heating circuit. The particular arrangement whereby this is accomplished forms no part of my invention. F or purposes of illustration, however, I have shown the form of mechanism described in the application of? Henry F. Ball, Serial No. 519,764, filed Sept. 27, 1909. In general the mechanism consists of a link 15 pivoted to the lever 13 at 16 and likewise pivoted to the operating arm 18. By means of certain mechanism not shown, the lever 13 is moved to closed position and the heating circuit is closed by means of the switch member 19 which engages fixed contacts 19. iv hen the lever is released by the operator, the circuit is opened by the same switch member.

Rigidly secured to the lever 13 is a projection or lug 20 arranged to be engaged by the latch 21 pivoted at 22'to the body of the iron. The arrangement is such that when the lever 13.is moved to closed position the latch will engage the projection 20 and hold it in closed position, as shown in Fig.-

2. In order to trip this latch when a predetermined temperature of the fiat-iron is reached, 1 provide a thermostatic element 25 which may be a compound bar which is susceptible to changes in temperature. This bar is in communication with the heating unit of the iron and has mounted on its free end the rod 23 so that as the end of the bar moves upward, it transmits motion to the rod. To the upper end of the rod 23 is screwed a nut 24 having a projection 25 which slides in lug 26; This projection is adjacent one arm of the latch 21, which is in the form of a bell-crank lever, so that asthe thermostatic element expands it will move the latch out of engagement with the projection 20. By screwing the nut 24 up or down on the rod 23, the temperature at which the latch is tripped may be adjusted. The lever 13 is spring pressed to the open position by a spring (not shown) so that when the element 23 expands suificiently to trip the latch the lever automatically moves to open circuit position. It will be seen that if the operator grasps the handle and the lever 13 the circuit is closed and latched closed by the latch 21. If the same becomes sufiiciently heated to trip the latch, the cir-- cuit will not be opened, since the lever will be kept closed by the hand of the operator. Furthermore, if the operator sets the iron down for a moment the circuit is noto ened, since it is held closed by the latch. I however, the iron becomes very much overheated, the circuit will be opened by the tripping device. If it is desired to again use the iron before it is sufliciently cooled off, the switch ooavav will not be latched closed, but will be held closed by the operator until the iron cools oil to a oint where the latch will act. it will be seen that l have provided a flat-iron which meets a variety of conditions and in asimple and efiicient manner.

While I have described my invention as embodied in concrete mechanism and as operating in a specific manner for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art with out departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

What li claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

The combination with an electrically heated flat iron or the like, of a switch for controlling the heating circuitthereof, mechanism controlled by the hand of the operator in grasping the handle of the iron for closing and opening said switch, and tl'iermostatically controlled means for looking said mechanism in closed circuit position.

2. The combination with an electrically heated fiat iron or the like, of a switch for controlling the heating circuit thereof biased to open position, mechanism controlled by the hand of the operator in grasping the handle of the iron for closing said switch, and thermostatically controlled means for locking said mechanism in closed circuit position.

3. The combination with an electrically heated flat iron or the like, of a switch for controlling the heating circuit thereof biased to open position, means controlled by the hand of the operator in grasping the handle of the iron for closing and opening said switch, a device for automatically locking said mechanism in closed circuit position, and thermostatic means for unlocking the mechanism when predetermined temperature is reached.

4. The combination with an electrically heated flat iron or the like, of a switch for controlling the heating circuit thereof biased to open position, mechanism controlled by the hand of the operator in grasping the handle of the iron for closing said switch, and thermostatically controlled means for locking said switch in closed circuit position.

5. The combination with an electrically heated fiat iron or the like, of a switch for controlling the heating circuit thereof biased to open position, means controlled by the hand of the 0 erator in grasping the handle of the iron or closing and opening said switch, a .latch for automatically locking said mechanism in closed circuit position, and a thermostatic device for tripping said latch to release the mechanism at a predein closed circuit position, and a thermostatic termined' temperature. device for controllin the latch. 10

6. The combination with an electrically In witness whereo I have hereunto set heated flat iron, of a switch biased to open my hand this fourth day of May, 1910.

.5 position and controlled by the hand of the ARCHIBALD S. CUBITT.

operator in grasping the handle of the iron Witnesses: to open and close the heating circuit, a latch J. C. MUSGROVE, for automatically locking said mechanism JAs. S. SMYSER. 

